Trix the T-Rex in Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, Leiden
When building your worlds, don’t forget about museums! A fun and easy way to get your players involved and more immersed into the world you have built.
In bigger cities and towns they can be an amazing alternative way to get information. Your players could go to the library and study to find out more about a subject, or they could visit the exhibit at the local museum. Think about museums of history, natural history, science, botanical gardens, zoos, or the fine arts. In the zoo they could learn about weaknesses of monsters roaming the countryside (and perhaps help round up an escaped giant chicken without hurting it for a fun side quest). In the botanical gardens they could learn about which plants they could forage for their alchemy or herbalism kit. In the history museum they can learn about a specific historical event or -figure that ties into their current quest. (For the Critical Role fans, how amazing would an Aeorian history museum be?)
Then, think smaller. Often small, more quirky or specialized museums can be found in smaller towns and villages. These can often be broken up into different categories:
Niche collection, a collection that got so out of hand that it now turned into a museum. Think teapots, chicken figurines, papercutting art, miniatures. A great way to add some whimsy to your setting and to ground it a bit more. And of course, these would have great NPCs attached to them, perhaps with a quest for that one teapot that they has been eluding their grasp.
Historic events and -figures, usually specific landmarks or homes. With famous writers or artists for example their houses often get turned into museums. Think Casa Azul, where Frida Kahlo used to live or the Roald Dahl museum in Great Missenden. Here in the Netherlands we of course have many museums dedicated to the second world war, including specific buildings that were used as hiding places or for the resistance. We also have a museum dedicated to the witch hunts, because Oudewater was known far and wide as the place to get weighed, because they were fair. So don’t be afraid to get specific, and let your players learn about the history of your world.
Crafts, things that this area is known for. Oudewater was not only known for weighing witches, but also for making rope, so there is a rope museum. Schoonhoven is known for producing the best silver, so they have a silver museum. Including crafts museums is a simple and great way to show more about the region your players are in. And with regional pride comes the opportunity to add things like local festivals or heroes, all tied to these crafts. (annual rope pulling contest, with all sorts of food made into ropes, anyone?)
So when building your world, don’t neglect the museums. They are a great and easy way to show your players things about your world and the people living in it. And they can be great hooks for new sidequests, or provide information needed in bigger story arcs.
It’s one of those things any writer or GM struggles with. Naming things. Characters, towns, magical doodads, everything needs a name. And not just a name, the perfect name. So today, I wanted to share some tips and sources that have really worked for me.
Keep a list
Inspiration can be found anywhere, at anytime. So I make sure I have lists where I can quickly jot things down if I come across anything I want to remember. In my dropbox I have a huge word document where I keep all my names. I also have a page dedicated to it in my bullet- and writer’s journals, as well as a quick reference guide in my GM’s journal. I keep my lists divided into sections, as well as some themed lists:
Town names
Male names
Female names
Gender neutral names
Surnames
Nature names (for EarthSong Forge: a city in my Averion D&D setting, where names are traditionally nature-inspired)
Colour names (for the Colours, the different branches of special forces in Averion)
Crystal names
Superhero names
Fairy names
In my GM’s journal I keep some of these lists as well, with names fitting my setting. Often I make a little note behind a name with which race I find it most fitting. Then, when my players interview a random NPC on the street, I can quickly pick out a name for them and make a note when and where it was used. To prevent going back to the same names over and over, if I’ve used a name for a story, I will make it bold in my huge word document.
Forge your own
Something I like to do is take a modern name, and forge it into something a bit more suitable for fantasy. Usually I take a name as a base, then take off a few letters, change another, then add a few new ones and see what new and fun combinations I can come up with. For example: Melanie – Melnie – Melnia – Melniya. Or: Melanie – Melan – Melandra. Or: Melanie – Movanie – Movani – Mohvanii.
End credits
Every once in a while I like to grab my notebook and pen and take a moment to watch the end credits of a movie or show that I was watching. It’s a great way to get some names you’ve never heard before, since most are international productions, or have more common names but with a unique spelling. For example, the end credits of WandaVision gave me Neraida, Khodai, Mayes, Vasilios, Tanis, Gaëtan, Nicanor, Solan, Phen, Inzinna and Praveen.
Last names as first names
Something I’ve noticed is that surnames usually make amazing first names, especially for a fantasy setting. In my job we always ask the surnames of our clients to put into the system, and I’ve taken a lot of amazing names from there already. Especially if it’s from a culture that is not your own, the last names work amazing. For example, Janssen is a very common Dutch last name, but in America Jensen is used as a first name. Some other ideas: Aarden (Dutch), Darzi (Persian), Solak (Turkish), Melnyk (Ukranian) and a few of the names from the End Credits-list are also surnames!
Name generators
There are many (fantasy) name generators online, which are a great resource for finding names. I use them often, and if I see a name that I like, but doesn’t fit the character I’m currently searching for, it goes on a list! By far the best and most extensive one is Fantasy Name Generators. Not only do they have names for *everything* – from magical swords to drugs to cyberpunk cities – they have everything sorted in a way that it’s super easy to navigate. And the more you use it, the more trees get planted! How amazing is that?
(Baby) Name sites
(Baby) name sites are also an amazing resource. Most let you search by gender, cultural origin, or theme. My favourite for this is Behind the Name and their sister pages Behind the Surname and Behind the Place Name. Often names from a different culture work amazingly for your fantasy setting. They are names you don’t hear often, which means they won’t look out of place. Also, they make great bases for forging your own names.
Graveyards and obituaries
Another great source for names, if perhaps a bit…dark. Both usually have a person’s full name noted, which means that it can be a treasuretrove for longer names. Here in the Netherlands we often see that middle names are more unique, so it’s a great source for the more “unusual, but still this realm” names. It’s also a great place to see many different versions of the same name, or to find names that tie to a specific period.
So there you have it, a few sources and tips that I like to work with while writing or planning a game session. Where do you get your names?
Just a few weeks ago one of our friends became a dad! Little Saya was born and she is adorable. Of course I had to make a card to celebrate this occasion and since he’s part of our Dungeons and Dragons group, I wanted to use dragons!
I first created the rainbow background with watercolour markers and cut out the clouds. Then I stamped and coloured the little pastel dragon family! After that, the wait was on… what was the name going to be?
I just loved making this card with its soft tones and overall adorable-ness. Luckily the happy parents loved it as well! Let’s just hope little Saya will grow up loving dragons… {although I think we’ll make sure}
And we’re back from hiatus! YAY! As you may know by now I play a lot of Tabletop RPGs. And I do mean a lot… We have a Pathfinder game every wednesday, Starfinder once a month and then a D&D 5th edition one-shot every once in a while. You can easily say I’m a bit addicted {especially when you see my dice collection…shh!}
We usually play with the same group of friends, although the parties depend on who is the GM and which players can make it. So when one of my party member’s birthday came up, I knew I needed to make a D&D-themed birthday card!
I used the adorable BB Magical Dragons stamp by My Favorite Things and used a bunch of stamps and stencils to make the mixed media background. The D20 dice and drew and inked myself! It’s so sparkly!
I hand lettered the “Roll for birthday fun!” quote and added a bunch of tiny accents with white and black posca fineliners. This card was so much fun to make and he absolutely loved it! I know what I can make for my other party members {make ALL the colours!} and I might even add them to the shop if there are people out there who are interested. But for now: yay for cute D&D dragon cards!
I know, I know, you were expecting part 4 of ‘of Wolf and Man‘… It’s coming, but I caught a bad case of the flu this week so I wallowed in self-pity instead of writing {the fact that I couldn’t see straight might have had something to do with it as well… shh!}
But of course I won’t leave you with nothing! A few weeks ago I talked about the writing contest I was entering. I didn’t win, but that’s okay. Two other lovely ladies got to win the fabulous honor of working for Green Ronin, a company that publishes books for tabletop RPG’s such as Dungeons and Dragons. {You know… the people that are bringing the Critical Role campaign guide into our lives!} I did however have a lovely time creating a story in a world that is darker than the ones I usually work in, and got to combine storytelling with the geekyness that is D&D. How cool is that?!
So, the setting from Green Ronin is going to be Redoubt, the last bastion of hope in a world ruled by undead. Which got me thinking, how would these citizens of Redoubt look upon someone who would use bones? In a city were the dead are definitely something to be feared, could someone overcome this fear and use the dead to their advantage. So I thought of an oracle/shaman type class that could use bones for divination. Originally I wanted it to be a player class, but that didn’t fit, so I made it an NPC class instead. So below you will first find the story of the Bonecaller’s Price, followed by the NPC class explained. I’m very curious to know what you guys think!
The Bonecaller’s price
The Bonecaller sits on a rickety stool in front of her shop. “Care to know your fortune, my dear?” she calls to a young woman walking past.
The woman stops, considers. She is about to leave this desolate city for an adventure outside the Walls. She would very much like to know if she will find what she is looking beyond the city’s protection. But the people here in Haven, they are taught to fear the dead and those who speak with them. She studies the old woman for a moment. She doesn’t seem all that dangerous, the young woman thinks. Dressed in dark reds and purples, gold-embroidered scarves wrap around her shoulders. Strange symbols are painted upon her face with white ink, the morning sun casting her wrinkles in a stark relief. There are bones, yes, necklaces and bracelets, some skulls in her gray, braided hair. But there are also coins, golden symbols on brown leather cords. She looks like an eccentric grandmother, not like someone who can command the dead. “I have no means to pay you.” She eventually tells the old woman, curiosity winning from concern.
“A promise will suffice,” the crone answers, “a promise that when your time has come, whenever that may be, I may pick a bone of my choosing.”
The woman looks ancient, the younger one thinks. When I will breathe my last she may very well be amongst the dead herself.
“Alright,” she says. The old woman gets up from her stool, joints creaking, and opens the door towards her shop. Inside lay treasures of bone harvested from all manner of creatures; animal, elf, orc, halfling and human alike. Treasures and talismans filled with power for those brave enough to carry the dead around with them.
A chill crawls down the young woman’s spine as she enters the shop. Dark redwood shelves line the red walls of this cramped shop. Clay jars with unreadable labels stand row after row upon them. Whatever space there was is filled with cabinets made from the same warm wood. Some have glass doors, showing a hint of the mystery that lies within, others have doors of solid wood, painted with strange symbols, and locks that seem too big for such a small cabinet. Candlelight flickers a warm gold on the glass containers holding herbs and other curiosities. Dried flowers hang in bundles from the ceiling, their subtle scents filling the air. Tapestries in all colors cover the floor. A counter stands at the back of the shop, holding even more trinkets and baubles.
All together it would give the interior a warm, homey feel, she thinks, were it not for the skulls that stand seemingly everywhere. Some hold the candles, she notes, watching a droplet of black wax roll down bleached ivory. Other skulls just seem to watch her every move, their empty sockets holding shadows out of which the dead peer into the world. One human skull on the counter holds fresh pink roses, plum-colored dahlias and green aster, their colors stark against the white of the bone. Dried crows feet hang on leather strings next to the vase, stones in different colors clasped within their grasp. A small sign hangs from the ceiling, promising fortune to all those who carry them. On one wall hangs a string with bones in different sizes dangling from it, a macabre bunting celebrating the dead.
She turns and comes face to face with the dead, dried head of an orc. She can’t contain her shriek and stumbles away from it. Its eyes and mouth are crudely sewn shut with sinew. Its red hair still long and decorated with beads and feathers.
“Don’t worry, dear,” the Bonecaller speaks from where she stands by a beaded curtain behind the counter, “these dead don’t bite.” She pulls the curtain aside, setting off a wind chime made of ribs and vertebrae. “Come in, come in.”
The young woman follows her into a small side-chamber. Candles line the walls all around the room. A single table with two chairs stands in the center of it, an intricately embroidered cloth draped over the table’s surface. The rest of the room is bare, leaving it almost hollow in comparison to the front of the shop. She sits down in one of the chairs as the crone walks around and takes a seat across from her.
The Bonecaller takes a leather pouch from her belt that softly rattles as she moves it. “The dead are all around us, my child,” she starts, untying the string that holds the pouch closed, “they see our past, every choice we have ever made. They see our present, the paths in front of us unfolding and winding. They see our future, the golden threads that flow through time until the Raven Queen snaps them.” She lays the folded out pouch on the table. Black markings and symbols cover the inside of it. “The dead know our deepest desires. What we wish and what we want, but, more importantly, what we need.” With reverence, she picks up the scattered bones from the pouch. The old woman holds them to her chest for a moment, chanting words in a language the younger doesn’t recognize.
For a moment, the candles flicker, the shadows on the walls dance and writhe, their spectral claws reaching out towards her. The air chills, her breath now fogging in the air. Wind howling through the room, like a thousand voices calling out in despair. Her heart leaps in her throat, her form frozen in terror and she knows: the dead are here.
The Bonecaller rattles the bones in her hands for a moment before casting them upon the table. Some land within the circle, most scatter upon the delicate cloth. “Ah yes,” she starts, moving her hand over the objects for a moment. She picks up a knuckle-bone, “a new journey awaits you, one long hungered for.” She places the bone back and picks up a small cordate piece, “your heart has grown too large for this city.” She sets it back, gently grabs a tiny bird skull, “you wish, more than anything else, for freedom.” For a moment the ghostly whispers of beating wings sound through the room. The Bonecaller now holds a vertebra, “you will find what you seek, but you must remember: freedom always comes with a price.”
With every word, the young woman’s hope has grown. Finally she would get out of this dark place and into the wide world where adventure calls. She will finally be free of her bonds that hold her within this city. “I will pay any price needed,” She tells the Bonecaller eagerly.
The old woman nods, carefully returning the bones to her pouch. “Then be on your way, young one. And may you find the freedom you seek.”
Two weeks later the Bonecaller once again sits at the table, bones cast upon the cloth and an eager adventurer across from her. “You have found a new family in your companions,” she tells him, gesturing with the wolf bone towards the door, where the rest of his group is waiting. Her client smiles as she gently lays the bone down again. She picks up the last bone for this reading. A human rib, broken and with deep scars. It’s still white, new. The Bonecaller sees the ghost of the young woman appear next to her, clutching her bleeding stomach.
I wanted to get out of this city, she whimpers, I just wanted to be free.
“You wish to leave this city”, the Bonecaller echoes, “you wish to be free.” The young man nods eagerly. She gently places the rib back in the leather circle. “Freedom,” she tells her customer, “always comes with a price.”
NONPLAYER CHARACTER: BONECALLER
“The bones speak, if you are brave enough to listen…”
– Fehzar Haruspex
To most, the passing from life to death is something to fear
and avoid, but there are those who understand that death
unveils secrets and knowledge not attainable in life.
Bonecallers are the diviners that walk the line between life and
death. They cast their set of bones and commune with the dead
to gain divine insight into any question asked. Bonecallers are
renowned advisors to any brave enough to seek their guidance.
But beware: their knowledge always comes with a price.
Call of the Bones Most Bonecallers hear what they named
‘the Calling’ at a young age, discovering through play that touching
bones gives them a brief window through which the dead can
speak. These children are often seen as strange, talking to
‘friends’ that don’t seem to exist and knowing things they
shouldn’t. Once discovered that they are speaking with the
dead these children are shunned and looked upon with fear.
As death touches all life and every creature, Bonecallers can be
from any race and any walk of life. While most Bonecallers
are female, it is not unheard of for males to hear and heed
the Calling.
Prolonged life A Bonecaller’s intimate knowledge of the line
between life and death allows them to extend their life, but not
their youth, significantly. Indeed, there are those who think
Bonecallers are born old and wrinkly.
Although most Bonecallers learn their skills through intuition
and communing with the dead, some seek out an apprentice
to pass on their vast knowledge when they feel the end of their
long life finally approaching.
Sortilege set This divination set consists of a variety of bones
– sometimes combined with other curios such as shells, nuts,
small keys and metal charms – which, when cast, give the
Bonecaller divine insight into her client’s query. The Bonecaller
builds her sortilege set over time, adding bones and objects that
have meaning to her. Therefore the sortilege set is considered
personal and sacred, much like a holy symbol.
Casting the Bones Up to five short insights may be given to one
question a player character may have, or as a general reading of the
player’s character or situation. The insights should be brief and
cryptic, leaving some things open to the player’s interpretation.
As some of you might know, I am a HUGE fan of anything to do with tabletop RPG’s and especially the amazing webshow Critical Role (if you haven’t watched it yet, please do! For their 100th episode I wanted to make something cool, so I made a big D20 board with the member of Vox Machina on it in mini hama fuse beads. This got such an overwhelming response and questions where people could buy them, that I couldn’t not put them up.
So I now have the big D20 board with all members, the small D20 boards with the members of your choice, pendants and magnets available!
From MedievalWitch’s tumblr. It doesn’t exist anymore, if anyone knows whom I should credit, let me know!
Hi guys! Soooo…. It’s been a while {again, I know}. But, the good news is I come with a new story! Dutch Comic Con, together with the American Book Centre here in the Netherlands is organizing a short story competition. I’m so excited. It could be written in English or Dutch, and couldn’t be more than 1000 words. The last part was a bit more difficult for me, but somehow I managed. First I wrote a story called Death’s Diner {which I’m hoping to post after the competition is over}, but I worried that it lacked action. So I wrote another story. In the end I decided I liked Death’s Diner better, and sent that one in. But, I’m still rather proud of my other story, so I wanted to share this one with you.
It’s part Dutch mythology, part pen-and-paper RPG. Noor is the character I play in our Pathfinder games, this is a tiny bit of her backstory. She is a warpriest to the Goddess Baduhenna, Goddess of war and madness. Baduhenna, however, is a ‘real’ Goddess from Dutch mythology. I wrote about her here. So who knows, maybe this is how the Frisians actually won the battle against the Romans {grins maniacally} Are you ready? Here we go!
The rage burned in my stomach, the taste of revenge like blood on my tongue. The forest was filled with the sounds of battle, the screams of our oppressors. Although they were greater in number, the forest was on our side tonight.
I spotted him then, my prey. My vision blurred red as I advanced on him, the rest of the world falling away. It felt like I was about to burst out of my skin, like the fire inside was consuming me. Burning away all that made me sane. A feral grin spread on my face as I embraced the fire, embraced the madness. “Relanius!” I called.
The man before me turned to face me. For a moment, his face looked like that of a demon, evil curling around him in tendrils of shadow.
“You will pay with your blood for what you did to my sister, to my people,” I growled. “I swear it!”
“You cannot win this, Noor!” He called back. “This little rebellion will be struck down, just like the rest of your people.” This was the monster that killed my sister, and tossed her bloody and battered body onto our doorstep. This was the man who broke my parents and because of that, something within me finally broke free.
I wanted to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze until the life left his eyes. I wanted to cut him for every pain he had caused my sister and watch his blood paint the forest floor red. I wanted his life.
“Yes.” A voice whispered on the breeze. “Now.”
I charged, my attack too wide but made up for by force. I didn’t draw blood, but the monster staggered. I kept advancing, blow after blow. He was more trained, but I was wilder and stronger than I had ever been. The rage within me like fire through my veins, strengthening my strikes.
The shadows over his face swirled like smoke, giving me a glimpse of eyes wide with terror before they burned with hell-fire once again.
I had scared the monster, I realised. A laugh tore out of my throat, ringing through the forest. Part of me wondered what this made me.
“Good” whispered the wind.
A larger part of me agreed with her. With each blow, which each drop of blood spilled, the red haze grew, until the entire world was pulsing like a heartbeat. The only thing that existed were me and my prey. Both of us locked in this fatal dance.
I was losing myself, a distant part of me realised, but I couldn’t stop it. I could only hate and laugh and strike.
Suddenly everything fell silent.
Clarity.
Pain.
So much pain.
The forest around me turned from red to green and black again in the light of the moon overhead. I looked down to the sword protruding from my chest in disbelief.
My killer had the same shock in his eyes, like he hadn’t believed he could win.
Blood filled my lungs. My sword clattered to the ground as my body lost all its borrowed strength. The forest was dimming around the edges, darkness coming to claim me. The gladius was pulled from my chest, a spray of blood coming with it. As my back hit the forest floor, the world went black.
The darkness was cold and absolute. A whisper of feathers sounded behind me and I turned, but still saw nothing.
“I heard your vow.” A female voice whispered, the same one I had heard in the forest. “Blood for blood. The blood of those invaders for the blood of your people, for your sister.”
“Yes.” I answered.
“I felt your fire. I feel it even now.” Her voice came from all directions and curled around me, like a cloak of ink and feathers.
“Yes.” The rage was still there, tempered now, away from the heat of battle.
“Do you wish to return? To finish what you had vowed to do?” She asked.
“Yes.” No hesitation.
“Will you not rest until your task is complete?” The voice filled with power, with promise.
“Yes.”
“Will you bleed them all for what they did to My people, to My forest?”
I realised then, who I was talking to. There was only one answer.
“This is my vow to you, Baduhenna, Goddess of our forest. Upon my blood and my soul, you have my word.” At these words warmth surrounded me.
“Rise, then, my daughter. Rise and show them that which they should really fear in My forest.”
I felt cold lips upon my forehead, the taste of blood once again on my tongue. I opened my eyes and looked up to the night sky.
Crows flew past the moon, their battle cries mixing with those all around me.
I pushed to my feet and took up my sword again. My body took a step forward without conscious thought. I felt distant, like I was one step behind myself, looking through the eyes of a stranger. Baduhenna, I realised as my hand reached out to touch an attacking enemy.
His eyes turn black, like a crow, before he turned to his closest ally and with a manic laugh threw himself at him.
A next attack was struck down with one swipe of my sword, the second blow digging deep into the man’s neck.
The Goddess was using my body to walk across the battlefield. A touch for one enemy, a fatal blow for the next. Another touch, another strike. On and on.
Feathers, black as night, always at the edge of my vision.
When dawn broke, the battle was done. Before me lay the bodies of my enemies.
“Is it done?” I asked my Goddess.
“No, my child, many cowards ran. The monster who took your sister lives still. They will scatter like the wind, but we will find them.” Answered She. “Your journey has only just begun.”
I smiled. “Good.”
So there you have it! A bit of mythology, a bit of fiction, a bit of geekery, a lot of blood {muaha} I need to wait a little bit longer to know if I made it to the top 10 of the story competition, but as soon as I know, you’ll know! Let me know what you think about this one, I’d love to hear from you guys! ‘Til next time!
…and other RPGs of course! Being pagan I love reading and researching mythology. A year ago I started looking into my own countries history. I knew we worshipped the Germanic Gods here, but were there a few Gods of our own? This curiosity led to a year of study and research and, up to now, 37 Dutch Gods, and my study is far from over.
In August I needed a new character for our Pathfinder campaign after my beloved Aasimar Oracle perished. I decided on a Human Warpriest, called Noor. For her deity I chose the Dutch Goddess Baduhenna, a Frisian Goddess closely connected to Badh and the Morrigan. She is amazingly fun to play! We’re looking into D&D 5th edition, which is just amazing, and in the back of the Player Handbook there are lists of real Gods and Goddesses converted to a format usable for D&D and other RPGs. So I figured, I have all this info on Dutch Deities, why not do the same and share it with the rest of the geeks?
So here is a short list of Deities that are usable in RPG. In part 2 {coming next week find it here!} I’ll give short backgrounds on each deity’s myth and how I came to their lore. Thing is, on a lot of Dutch Deities we don’t have a lot more than the name. Take Arcanua, of Her we only found a bronze statuette of a rooster with Her name on it. In the back you can set a candle. We know Her name means ‘the mysterious’ or ‘the hidden’. Furthermore, roosters are a symbol of the dawn. Hence the Light and Trickery domains. I included two sets of domains, the first set is for D&D 5e, the second for Pathfinder. Of course you can mix and match as you please, that’s the beauty of these systems. So here you go and please, let me know what you think!
Deity
Alignment
Domains
Symbol
Arcanua, Goddess of mystery and light
CN
Light, Trickery
Animal (Feather), Sun, Trickery
A bronze rooster and golden sun
Arduinna, Goddess of woodlands
N
Nature, Life
Animal (Fur), Plant
A silver boar
Aulrinia, minor Elven Goddess of magic and prophecy
LN
Arcana, Knowledge
Knowledge, Magic, Travel
A root in the shape of a human
Baduhenna, Goddess of freedom and madness
CN
Trickery, War
Liberation, Madness
A red raven and silver moon
Fosite, both God and Goddess of peace and justice
LG
Knowledge, Life
Law, Protection
A clear drop of water
Hesus, God of vegetation and sacrifice
NE
Death, Nature
Plant, Decay
A humanoid figure hanging on a tree
Hludana, Goddess of fishing and rivers
NG
Nature
Water
A fish above a woven basket
Irmin, God of war and strength
LG
War
Strength, War (Tactics)
An Irminsul
Jecha, Goddess of woodlands and the hunt
N
Nature, Life
Animal, Luck
A simple bow and arrow
Lady Holle, Goddess of magic, winter and weaving
CG
Arcana, Tempest
Magic, Water, Weather
Three snowflakes in a triangle
Meda, Maiden Goddess of purity and light
LG
Life, Light
Healing, Sun
Three golden rays angling down
Nehalennia, Goddess of the sea and travel
N
Nature, Tempest
Protection, Travel, Water
A ship’s wheel
Sandraudiga, Goddess of prosperity and abundance
NG
Nature, Life
Healing, Luck, Plant (Growth)
A red apple with green leafy vines
Tamfana, Goddess of joy and prophecy
CG
Arcana, Knowledge
Knowledge, Magic
A golden chalice
Viradectis, Goddess of trade
N
Knowledge
Knowledge, Travel (Trade)
Three falling golden coins
As I stated before, here in the Netherlands we also worshipped the Germanic Gods, as well as some of the Norse ones. There are several names we Dutchies used for these Gods and I listed them below. So if you do decide to use the Dutch Pantheon, you can easily include the Germanic Gods for some extra flavour!
Austrōn = Ostara, Goddess of spring
Donar = Thor, God of thunder
Frea = Freya, Goddess of beauty and love
Freke = Frigg, Goddess of love and marriage
Frija = Freya, Goddess of beauty and love
Ing = Freyr, God of male virility and prosperity
Saxnot = Tiwaz/Tyr, God of law and heroic glory
Thunar = Thor, God of thunder
Weda = Odin, God of magic, prophecy and healing
Wōdanaz = Odin, God of magic, prophecy and healing
Wotan = Odin, God of magic, prophecy and healing
A note on Frigg/Freya, in myths they are so often interchangeable that scholars now believe they might be the same Goddess. They call Her Frijjō for this purpose.
So that’s it for now, see you next week for part 2!
marjolijnmakes.com 